Raipur: Ruling out the possibility of deploying Army in anti-Naxal operations, Defence Minister Manohar Parrkar on Wednesday said if demanded, armed forces would extend “logistical support” and “provide training” to police in tackling the menace.

Foreigners are not involved in it (naxal movement). We use army where outside forces are involved. We use army against terrorists in Kashmir,” Parrikar told reporters in response to a query on whether army would be roped against growing naxalism in Chhattisgarh.

The minister, however, added, “We can provide training and logistical support (to the paramilitary and local police) if demanded.”

Parrikar was in the state capital to inaugurate Jankalyan Mela, an exhibition-cum-fair showcasing the achievements of Narendra Modi-led NDA government in the past one year.

Meanwhile, responding to Congress’ criticism that the Centre was not taking a stand on ‘One Rank-One Pension’ policy, Parrikar said his government has made a concrete framework over it and it would be rolled out soon.

“Earlier (during the UPA rule) only assurances were given in this direction. For the first time it’s us, who have made a concrete framework over OPOR scheme. Congress claimed that they had made provision of fund of Rs 500 crore. Then how did it lapse?,” he said.

The Defence Ministry has forwarded a proposal in this direction which is more or less acceptable to everyone and very soon it would be declared, he added.

Reacting to?Congress’ ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ jibe against the Modi government, Parrikar took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over his 56-days sabbatical.

“A government should not be judged by its clothing, but it should be judged by its activities. He (Rahul) should tell what he was doing for 56 days in Thailand and what clothes he was wearing over there,” he said.

Replying to a question on Rafale fighter jets deal with France, the minister said, “I would not like to comment on it unless everything is finalised.”

On Congress’ opposition to the Land Acquisition Bill, he said, “Congress has been shouting much over the Land Acquisition Bill. If you look at the UPA rule, they gave thousands of acres of farmers’ land in Congress ruled states to private developers at throwaway prices in the name of SEZ (special economic zone).”

“An atmosphere of anger was created (among farmers) after that and to cover that they brought Land Acquisition Bill ahead of the election. It was like ‘sau chuhe kha ke billi haj ko chali’ (after eating hundred rats, a cat goes to pilgrimage),” he said.

Listing out various initiatives taken by the Modi government like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Abhiyaan, pension schemes, the Union Minister said this government has laid the country’s foundation in a short span of one year.

He also slammed Congress stating that economy had gone down and development had come to a halt during the ten years of UPA rule.

Meanwhile, he assured Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh that a project under the Defence Ministry would be brought to the state by the end of this year.
PTI

Beirut: Given the heinous accounts of atrocities committed by the Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, it becomes difficult to imagine that the ISIS monsters could have a life beyond beheadings and blood soaked battles.

However, a rare peek into the personal life of an ISIS fighter, based on his interviews via Skype given to the Associated Press, it becomes clear how the Islamic State lures young recruits by providing perks like a free honeymoon package worth $1,500 and stipend for family.

In Raqqa, a city which is stained with the blood of thousands of innocent soul, an Islamic State fighter narrates how he enjoys a free honeymoon and all the perks that come along with it – a walk by the Euphrates river, delicious food in restaurants, ice-cream treat with his new bride – all thanks to $1500 marriage bonus paid by the ISIS.

It is the story of an ISIS fighter Abu Bilal al-Homsi, who was an IT professional before he joined the Islamic State.

“It has everything one would want for a wedding,” al-Homsi said of Raqqa — a riverside provincial capital that in the 18 months since IS took control has seen militants beheading opponents and stoning alleged adulteresses in public.

“It is not just fighting,” said al-Homsi, who uses a nom de guerre. “There are institutions.There are civilians (that IS) is in charge of, and wide territories . It must help the immigrants marry. These are the components of a state and it must look after its subjects.” Al-Homsi spoke in a series of interviews with The Associated Press.

According to his interviews given to the AP over three years, he says that he met his Tunisian bride online after she liked his rhetoric views on Islam.

The two chatted online for months before the ISIS fighter travelled to Syrian city of Deir al-Zour to ask her brother (already an ISIS fighter) for her hand in marriage.

The 24-year-old bride-to-be traveled through Algeria to Turkey, and from there to Raqqa with a group of other women joining IS. They were housed in a guesthouse for women, where the IS women police force also resides.

Al-Homsi made the hazardous 150-mile (250-kilometer) journey from Homs to Raqqa to join her, after getting a recommendation from his local commanders.

During the few days of their honeymoon, al-Homsi and his bride enjoyed Raqqa’s relative tranquility, riverside promenades and restaurants.

Then the couple travelled back to the Homs area, where IS fighters are holding ground against Assad’s forces and rival rebel groups.

There, al-Homsi used the money from his grant to prepare a home for his new bride, and four kittens. The couple is now expecting a new baby and hoping for another cash injection, as the group can pay up to $400 as a bonus for each child.

For now the group provides a stipend of $50 a month for him and a similar amount for his wife.

He also has an allowance for his uniform and clothes, some household cleaning supplies, and a monthly food basket worth $65.

Soon after speaking to the AP, al-Homsi was back on the battlefield, among the fighters who took over the ancient city of Palmyra earlier this month.

The Islamic State, which is notorious for committing formidable atrocities, however pretends to think that it is up to an ambitious project: building a new nation ruled by what radicals see as “God’s law,” made up of Muslims from around the world whose old nationalities have been erased and who have been united in the “caliphate.”

To do that, the group has set up a generous welfare system to help settle and create lives for the thousands of jihadis — men and women — who have flocked to IS territory from the Arab world, Europe, Central Asia and the United States.

Calcutta, May 26 (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday termed as “unfortunate” the lynching of a Railway Protection Force constable by hawkers at Malda and said this was a result of Centre’s interference in law and order situation in the state.

Mamata told the Assembly that the Centre should have informed the state government about hawker eviction. The RPF did not inform the state about this as it is under the jurisdiction of the Railways.

An RPF personnel was stoned to death and three more were injured when angry hawkers allegedly attacked the RPF office in Malda station premises after one of them was barred from doing business.

Mamata said both hawkers and RPF had done wrong, but the problem that took place on Monday can be credited to the Centre for its interference in the law and order issue of the state.

The railway hawkers, she said, live in distress and their eviction should be carefully planned and executed and not in the abrupt manner seen Monday.

The incident took place after an RPF team asked a hawker not to sell wares at the entrance to the station, but as the hawker protested the personnel beat him up.

Stating that there was no role of state police in the incident, Mamata said proper negotiation was needed. They also need a rehabilitation package for sustaining their livelihood.

In this regard, she said that the state government was preparing a scheme for the railway hawkers.

It was a usual day for an IPL final. Yet another Mumbai-Chennai final, Eden Gardens as the venue, fans cheering more for Sachin Tendulkar in the dugout rather than on-field players.

But a girl stole the final single handedly by just making an appearance in the presentation party. For all those wondering who she was, her name is Rakhee Kapoor Tandon.

The Beauty in Blue smiled just once at the camera and the male hearts all around India stopped. She became an instant hit on all social media. Everyone wanted to know who she was.

Apparently, Rakhee isn’t just ‘one of those cute girls’. She is way more than that.

Rakhee is the daughter of Rana Kapoor, Founder & CEO of YES Bank. And she is possible heir to the fourth largest private sector bank in India. Apart from this, she has worked as an investment banker in the US and also holds a MBA degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Along with this, Rakhee is one of India’s 25 Most Influential Women, as per India Today magazine.

Ahmedabad, May 26 (PTI) ‘Delighted’ at Switzerland making public names of some Indians with Swiss accounts, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said this should provide enough indications of actions to follow for those holding unaccounted assets outside India.

“I have been repeatedly saying that the veil of secrecy with regard to assets and monies kept by Indian entities outside India is going to be lifted… This should give a sufficient indicator to those who hold assets outside India,” Jaitley said here.

The names of at least seven “Indian nationals” have been made public in Switzerland’s Federal Gazette with regard to details sought about them by the Indian authorities.

Some countries have already been cooperating and the world is moving in the direction of automatic exchange of information, Jaitley said, adding he was encouraged by Switzerland cooperating with India.

“From the last one year we have had extensive negotiations with the Swiss authorities. The Swiss authorities have been moving in the direction of cooperation. I am delighted that this cooperation would not have fructified on a better day than when our government completes its one year,” he said.

Industrialist Yash Birla, as also two Mumbai-based individuals behind City Limousines scam, are among the seven Indian nationals with Swiss bank accounts whose names have been made public in Switzerland’s official gazette with regard to ongoing tax probes against them in India.

The others are Gurjit Singh Kochar, son-in-law of late realty baron Ponty Chadha, a Delhi-based businesswoman Ritika Sharma, Sneh Lata Sawhney and Sangita Sawheny.

Among these, some details have already been shared by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) with India.

New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Nokia India today withdrew from Delhi High Court its plea seeking permission to urgently sell its mobile manufacturing unit in Chennai, which was frozen over a Rs-10,000 crore claim raised by the Income Tax department, saying the proposed buyer has backed out.

At the same time, Nokia and I-T department told the court that a report has been received from Ernst and Young India Pvt Ltd (EY) on valuation of the company’s assets.

As per the report, Rs 361 crore was the valuation of assets if they were to be sold as ‘on going concern’ (company not bankrupt) and Rs 417 crore if ‘non going concern’ (company has gone bankrupt), they said.

Nokia submitted before a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva that it was withdrawing the plea seeking permission to urgently sell the unit as the proposed buyer has withdrawn.

It told the court that the buyer had offered it Rs 400 crore for the assets.

In response to Nokia’s submission, the court noted the proposed buyer had also offered a price that was in the same range as the valuation by EY.

The matter was listed today after the court had on May 19 agreed to give it an urgent hearing after Nokia said a buyer had been found for its Chennai unit.

Initially, the matter was listed for hearing on September 7.

EY was appointed by the court as the valuer for Nokia India’s Chennai mobile plant and its other assets.

The court had said that EY would do the valuation of the assets of the company on both ‘on going concern’ (company not bankrupt) and ‘non going concern’ (company has gone bankrupt) methods.

On April 24, the Income Tax department had told the court that the amount offered by an “arm’s length buyer” for Nokia India’s Chennai plant was “very little”.

An ‘arm’s length’ transaction is one in which the buyer and seller of a product act independently and have no relationship with each other to ensure that they act according to their self-interest and are not influenced by other party.

The I-T department had said that the offer amount was very little and if the unit and related assets were sold, it would be difficult to recover the tax amount which it has tentatively placed at Rs 10,000 crore.

New York, May 26 (PTI) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi- led government marks its first year in office today, American media has taken a critical view of his accomplishments, saying his flagship ‘Make in India’ drive is “so far mostly hype”, job growth remains sluggish amid “outsize expectations”.

“India’s Modi at One Year: ‘Euphoria Phase’ Is Over, Challenges Loom,” reads a headline in the Wall Street Journal of an article on Modi’s first year as Indian Prime Minister.

“A year after Indian voters handed Narendra Modi a once-in-a-generation mandate for change and economic revival, messy realities are sinking in,” the WSJ report said.

It said that Modi’s ‘Make in India’ drive, aimed at supercharging manufacturing growth, “is so far mostly hype”.

It cited economic parameters like exports to say that the “economy is merely limping along”.

Inflation-adjusted lending for capital investment last year fell to a level not seen since 2004, it said adding that exports were down for the fifth straight month in April, corporate earnings were dismal and foreign institutional investors have pulled around USD 2 billion out of Indian stocks and bonds in May so far.

The New York Times, in a news analysis, said Modi must face the reality that much of his agenda is still only potential.

“From abroad, India is now seen as a bright spot, expected to pass China this year to become the world’s fastest-growing large economy. But at home, job growth remains sluggish. Businesses are in wait-and-see mode. And Modi has political vulnerabilities, as parliamentary opposition leaders block two of his central reform initiatives and brand him ‘anti-poor’ and ‘anti-farmer’,” the NYT article titled ‘After a Year of Outsize Expectations, Modi Adjusts His Political Course for India’ said.

It said “most formidable of all is a problem” Modi has “made for himself: outsize expectations that he would sweep away constraints to growth in India, like stringent laws governing labour and land acquisition.

The NYT quoted senior vice president at leading Indian garment exporter Orient Craft’s Vimarsh Razdan as saying that the Modi government’s “image became larger than they themselves.

“They have become superheroes. And everyone knows superheroes don’t exist,” he said in the report.

The WSJ article said that while Modi has swaggered across stages from New York to Paris to Sydney, helping put the country back on investors’ maps, “on other key fronts, Modi has moved less decisively, frustrating investors who hoped for bolder change after last year’s election.”?

His government has avoided privatising state-run banks and companies, which could trigger unpopular job cuts.

Despite vows to improve India’s reputation for unpredictable tax collection, the government has hit investors with demands for back taxes they say they should not have to pay, it said.

The Gujjars had yesterday threatened to intensify the agitation, which has mainly remained confined to Bharatpur and Dausa, and spread it across the state.

Meanwhile, there was a deadlock over the venue of next round of talks between Gujjars and the government after one round held in Bayana ended in a failure.

The government had asked Gujjar representatives to come to Jaipur on Monday to discuss the issue at length but their leader Kirori Singh Bainsla is adamant on holding the talks in Bayana only, which is nearly 15 kms away from Pilukapura where the community members have blocked the railway tracks.
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“We will not go to Jaipur for the talks. We will hold talks in Bayana only. I have given a letter to the government for this,” Mr Bainsla told PTI.

The agitation, which was started on Thursday last week, would be called off only when the government fulfills the demand, he said.

“After discussion with our members, it was decided today to not go to Jaipur. We are open for the talks but we will not go to Jaipur, as proposed by the government, and any talk will take place in Bayana,” said Himmat Singh, spokesperson of the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, yesterday.

District collector Ravi Jain said the Gujjars were being convinced to accept the government’s proposal to go to Jaipur.

“Jaipur is the right place to hold talks in detail and we are trying to persuade the Gujjars,” he said.

On the fifth day of the agitation, Delhi-Mumbai rail tracks in Bharatpur and a state highway in Sawaimadhopur continued to be blocked causing inconvenience to travellers.

Since the Gujjars relaunched their agitation after seven years on Thursday last, one round of talks took place on Saturday between the Gujjar leader Bainsla and a committee comprising Health minister Rajendra Rathore, Social Justice minister Arun Chaturvedi and Food minister Hem Singh Bhadana.

However, the meeting ended in a failure with Gujjars saying the government did not come up with any concrete proposal.

Himmat Singh, yesterday, alleged that the government was trying to build pressure on them. “My farmhouse in Dausa was today raided by several policemen. It is a pressure tactics used by the government,” he alleged.

Mr Bainsla, meanwhile, went to a hospital for a medical check up. The spokesperson said it was routine medical check up which was due.

Police have already booked Mr Bainsla and his supporters for rioting, sedition, damaging public property, endangering life, obstructing public way, criminal conspiracies in three cases lodged on May 21, the day when they started the agitation, and Sunday.

The state government once again asked the Gujjars to come to Jaipur for holding talks.

The committee of three ministers- Health minister Rajendra Rathore, Social Justice minister Arun Chaturvedi and Food and Civil Supply minister Hem Singh Bhadana met at the secretariat here and issued a fresh letter proposing the Gujjars to come to Jaipur, according to a government spokesperson.

Meanwhile, agitators captured Agra-Jaipur National Highway in Dausa again tonight and squatted there, forcing the authorities to divert the traffic through an alternate route.

“Gujjar protesters returned late in the evening and blocked the highway at Sikandra. The situation was tense in Sikandra but nothing violent happened. The agitators confronted the locals, who chased them away earlier in the day, but police force controlled the situation,” IG Jaipur, DC Jain told PTI.

Police, paramilitary forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order, he said, adding that the situation was tense but peaceful.

Mumbai, May 26 (PTI) The benchmark BSE Sensex today declined by another 112 points to close at over one-week low of 27,531.41 due to continued selling in heavyweights such as ITC, Tata Motors and Vedanta on muted earnings amid weakening rupee.

A cautious stance adopted by participants, who trimmed positions ahead of May derivatives expiry on Thursday, and absence of any positive trigger also dampened trading sentiments, brokers said.

At the forex market, the rupee was trading 42 paise down at Rs 63.99 against the American currency (intra-day).

Falling for the second day in a row, the 30-share Sensex closed down 112.47 points, or 0.41 per cent, at 27,531.41 — the lowest closing level since May 15. It touched a high of 27,675.94 and a low of 27,473.54 in day trade.

The 50-issue Nifty of NSE fell by 30.90 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 8,339.35 after hovering between 8,320.05 and 8,378.90 intra-day.

Vedanta Ltd plunged 2.33 per cent and was the biggest loser among Sensex scrips. ONGC fell sharply by 2.05 per cent.

Tata Motors fell by 1.60 per cent ahead of its January- March quarter earnings due later in the day.

ITC was down 1.05 per cent, sliding for the second session after disappointing earnings on Friday.

Sun Pharma, NTPC, Reliance, ICICI Bank, HDFC and Dr Reddy’s recorded losses up to 1.34 per cent.

FMCG major Nestle shares closed down 2.10 per cent after cracking over 6 per cent intra-day following reports that UP Food Safety and Drug Administration may file case against the company due to higher than permitted levels of lead and a food additive in Maggi noodles.

However, state-run BHEL emerged as top gainer among Sensex stocks by soaring 2.88 per cent even as it posted 52 per cent fall in net profit at Rs 888.35 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2015